Computers maintain time and date information using internal real-time clock chips. These chips are battery-backed and maintain time even when the power to the computer is switched off. However, the components utilised are relatively low-cost devices and have a tendency to drift by relatively large amounts. This article describes various ways of keeping the time on your computer accurate. It also shows how to synchronise a computers system clock with a highly accurate reference clock.
Computer systems time can drift anything from a few seconds a day to a few minutes each day. When processing transactions or performing time critical tasks across a number of computers, incorrect time can be a real headache.
The Internet found and solved this problem a number of years ago by developing the Network Time Protocol. NTP can be used to distribute accurate time from a highly precise time server to network time clients. Most modern operating systems have the ability to synchronise time with a NTP server. Generally, all that is required is the IP address or domain name of Stratum 1 or Stratum 2 NTP servers.
LINUX and UNIX operating systems can download the full NTP implementation from the NTP web site 'ntp.org'. NTP is freely available open source software available under the GNU public licence.
Microsoft Windows XP/2000/2003 and Vista operating systems have an integrated SNTP client. SNTP stands for Simple Network Time Protocol. Simple Network Time Protocol provides a sub-set of the Network Time Protocols algorithms. SNTP provides a simplified NTP algorithm with many of the complex routines to acheive high precision removed. Windows operating systems allow an IP address or domain name of a Internet or Intranet NTP server to be entered in the time properties tab. The SNTP client will then periodically contact the NTP server in order to update and synchronise system time.
A problem arises, however, if the computer does not have access to the Internet or is not networked. What is required is local access to an accurate time reference. However, there are many freely available time and frequency resources that can be utilsied.
A number of national radio time references are transmitted free-to-air. These radio broadcasts are generally referred to by their 'call sign'. WWVB is the North-American time and frequency radio transmission, broadcast for Colorado in the States. DCF is the call-sign of the German radio time transmission, which is broadcast from Meinflingen near Frankfurt. MSF is the UK time and frequency transmission, broadcast for Anthorn, Cumbria. A number of other broadcasts are available in France, Canada, Switzerland and Japan. USB and serial radio receivers are available that can receive radio time broadcasts and provide computers with accurate timing information. The PC system time can then be synchronised to the received time and frequency radio source.
The disadvantage with National radio time and frequency solutions is that they have a finite transmission range. Their transmissions are generally regional and limited to national boundaries. The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides a solution to this. The GPS system operates from a number of orbiting satellites. Each satellite has an on-board highly accurate synchronised atomic clock. GPS can provide highly precise timing information anywhere on the face of the planet. All that is required to receive the GPS transmissions is a low-cost GPS receiver and antenna. The GPS antenna needs to be shown a good clear view of the sky for correct operation. By connecting a PC to a serial or USB GPS receiver, accurate timing information is continuously available.
To summarise, a wide range of highly accurate computer timing references are freely available. Utilising the Internet, National time and frequency radio transmissions or the GPS system can ensure that a computers time remains locked to a precise time reference.
An important time management strategy it to distinguish what is important, what is essential and what is critical. A common time management mistake made by many is to attempt to do too many things at one time. Time management, in the true sense, can be defined as doing the right thing the right way at the right time. When you are able to prioritise and delegate, time will not be taken up doing the essential but not necessarily time saving.
Putting first things first is the crux of time management. Do things in order of importance, and stop wasting time on the non-essentials. The 80/20 rule applies here. 80% of your results will depend on the critical 20% of things that are the most important. The key is to identify what is important.
Identify things that can only be done by yourself, and no one else. These are the critical success factors in time management and your life. Ask yourself , "What one thing could I do, that I'm not currently doing, which, if I did it regularly would make the biggest difference in my life?" Then devote as much time as you can to activities that make a difference and contribute most to your happiness and success.
In your life, think of the most crucial thing that would make a difference. For example, in terms of managing your money, will it be to concentrate on improving your skills at your current job, or learning another skill so that you can prepare for the future, or tightening up on your finances so you won't be losing money?
For example, in a retail shop, what is the number one thing that will make a difference in their bottom line? To improve sales. In this case, a more effective time management skill and goal setting strategy will be to improve sales. They can brainstorm ways to do this. Rather than focusing on other things, like renovating the shop front so it would look nicer, which they've always wanted to do. But it is not effective use of time and resource at the moment.
How about the most effective way to spend time with your kids? Is it cooking meals and doing the laundry for them, or spending time to help them in their schoolwork? For example, the wshing or cooking can be left to someone else so it will allow you to be able to spend more quality time with your children. They can have their full stomachs and you at the same time.
Brainstorm a list of things that only you can do. Then prioritize in the order of importance. This is the msot important skill of time management- identify things that do matter. So that you can have time for things that matter.
Both David Evans & May Chew are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
David Evans has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Personal Desktop and Computers and The Internet. David R. Evans is an experienced technical author whose field of expertise are NTP servers and computer timing systems. Click here for more information about Radio and GPS time servers and. David Evans's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.